Secrets and Lies
by Tonks Ozog
Summary: It is a universal truth that everybody has a secret. It is also a universal truth that secrets tend to come out and when they do, they can threaten to end life as you know it. Hermione has a secret, and she's desperately trying to keep it hidden...
1. Intro

**INTRO**

It is a universal truth that everybody has at least one secret. Whether that secret is something as big as an affair with your child's married teacher or as small as knocking over your Grandma's favourite vase when you were four and blaming it on the dog is irrelevant. Everybody has a secret.

For a select few, the very fabric of the lives is built on nothing but secrets and lies; Such intricate falsehoods that are piled on top of one another, so expertly spun into a web so intricate and intrinsic to their life that if it were to become unravelled, it would signal the end of life, or at least life as they have come to know it.

Hermione Granger was one such weaver of untruths, and the strangest thing was that if you asked how her life had become one big complicated mass of deceit, she would tell you that she had no idea how it was that she came to be so inescapably caught within her own web of falsehoods.

But then, even that statement is a lie in and of itself. Hermione could pinpoint exactly the moment that her first lie slipped so easily off of her tongue and she recognised quite easily the first secret she was forced to keep. The spiral had come rapidly. You know, the one that descends into chaos and shatters the foundations of everything you know. Everything you always thought you knew, at any rate.

Five years. Five long years of lying to the faces of the people that were closest to her in the world. Five years of splitting her life in two and living seperate lives, neither of which could ever meet the other lest her who spiral of deceit unravel completely. Five years of hiding the truth from the very people who so vehemently claimed to know everything about her. Five years of forcing people to believe they knew everything about her, when really they knew nothing at all.

You have to understand, first and foremost, that this was not the life she would have chosen for herself. She had never intended to end up at this point in her life and she was definitely not glad that this was her existence. It was so incredibly difficult for her to keep track of who knew her as who and who believed what lie she had told about herself.

What it all boils down to, is this; Hermione Granger's incredible talent for glamour charms and her incredibly stupid decision to fall in love with someone who hated her as real self but had pursued so doggedly as her other self. The long and short of it, was that Hermione spent most of her time trying to prevent the wizarding world from discovering that two of their most famous celebrity sweethearts were actually just one incredibly talented, but incredibly deceitful witch.

 **AN: There are a few different viewpoints that will be featured in this story, and whose viewpoint each chapter is in will be mentioned before the actual chapter. Hopefully that makes sense.** **Let me know what you think!**


	2. Hermione

**Hermione - Present day**

Hermione glanced up at the chime from her fireplace, magically alerting her that someone was entering her apartment via the floo connection. She felt the far too familiar sense of panic settling into her guy and glanced down at herself. She couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped her when she spied the distinctive mass of dull brown curls tumbling over her shoulders, onto the oversized bright green t-shirt she had borrowed from Harry years ago and never found any reason to return. Forcing her face into an exceedingly convincing smile, one that was ever present around company, she stood from her favourite Gryffindor red wingback reading chair and exited the sanctuary of her carefully constructed private library.

"Hullo, 'Mione." came Ron's voice, bouncing off of the walls of her long hallway from the direction of her kitchen.

She resisted the urge, just barely, to flinch at his use of the nickname she so despised. It was a sign of his immaturity that she had come to expect, but never failed to irk her deeply. When the war had drawn to it's conclusion with the long awaited demise of Voldemort, she had tried to enter into the romantic relationship with Ron that everyone had seemed to expect from them, but it was doomed to fail before it had even begun - at least she thought so. The problem was, Ronald Weasley's maturing process had seemed to come to a grinding halt at the ripe old age of fifteen, which meant that whilst he had been mentally stuck at a stage of his development where his main concerns were Quidditch matches and just what would be on the Hogwart's menu that day, Hermione was seemingly many years ahead of him both mentally and intellectually. She had wanted to have deep and meaningful conversations about the state of the Wizarding world and Magical Creature rights, whereas he had expected her to watch adoringly while he gorged himself stupid on his Mum's Shepard's Pie before attentively watching him play a game of a pointless sport that, at least in her eyes, meant nothing in the grand scheme of things.

"What have I told you about helping yourself to my food, Ronald?" she sighed as she batted his hands away from their frenzied attack on her food supply. He groaned as he turned to her before attempting to mimic the sound of her voice and rolling his eyes.

"If you went shopping more than once a month you'd have food in your own fridge!"

"And?" She asked, gritting her teeth to restrain her anger as she pulled the dish towel from it's very specific place above her sink and meticulously wiped up the Pumpkin Juice he had disgustingly dribbled down his chin while attempting to drink from the carton. The very same carton that she would now have to dispose of once he had left, lest she end up drinking the remnants of saliva from a mouth that had never been within touching distance of a toothbrush in it's life, instead being on the receiving end of nothing more than a freshening spell every morning.

"And," he muttered around a mouthful of some kind of unidentifiable, half-eaten food. "Decided that if Kreacher wants to cook, who am I to step on his toes?"

"In other words," Hermione hissed through her painfully clenched jaw, "You're too lazy to learn how to cook for yourself, preferring to let a House Elf do the work for you?"

"Something like that." Ron grinned.

Hermione watched as miniscule specks of food and spit flew from his mouth and landed on her previously pristine island worktop. To others, they would be invisible and inconsequential, but to Hermione, those germ-filled specks were enough to make her skin crawl and her arms itch to reach for the muggle bleach that was stored in the cupboard beneath her sink. She sighed heavily as she turned away from the man who had refused to grow up.

"Did you want something, Ronald?" she grit out, suddenly anxious for him to leave.

"I'm bored. I thought you might entertain me." He shrugged ignorantly and as much as she tried, Hermione couldn't quell the urge to roll her eyes.

"Well, I'm afraid you are rather out of luck." She responded, not even bothering to try and sound apologetic. "I'm quite busy, you see."

"Oh well. I'll see if I can find Seamus, then. See ya, 'Mione." Ron huffed and stoof from the barstool situated at her island counter.

Hermione watched as the red headed man threw the irredescent powder into the fireplace and stepped in, stating his destination. Rolling her eyes at his destination, The Three Broomsticks, she turned and rushed to gather the neccessary cleaning supplies to rid her counter of Ron's germs. Slipping her hands into two disposable latex gloves, she poured neat bleach onto the counter, pulled out a brand new scourer and started to scrub.


	3. Draco

**Draco Malfoy, 1999**

Draco glanced around the nightclub and took in the large number of people who were glaring very obviously in his direction. He knew why they felt the need to glare, of course, but it didn't make it any less irritating that they should choose to do so in such a less than subtle way. Trying his best to appear unaffected, he searched for the familiar face he had come in search of. Breathing a sigh of relief when he saw it, he moved through the throng of sweaty bodies towards his friend.

"Blaise!" He shouted across the music once he was close enough to, hopefully, be heard. The man he had hailed turned and grinned at him, pulling him into an embrace and slapping him hard on the back. He winced as he pulled away, feeling that his friend had already had a few too many Firewhiskeys.

"Draco, my man!" Blaise yelled over the music, "How you doing?"

Draco wondered, internally, what to tell the man. There were two choices that he was faced with. Either he could tell the truth and subject himself to the same old condolences from his friend, apologies that his Father had gone to jail, pity that his Mother had seemingly gone round the twist without her beloved husband, feigned interest in his new role as head of all the companies that made up Malfoy Inc, left for him to run without his Father's input. Or...

"I'm fine!" Draco shouted, faking a grin and gesturing towards the bar, "I'll be back with a round."

Walking away from his friend, Draco wondered about his choice to cover up for his complicated life. Of all the people he knew, Blaise would be the one person who would understand his struggle of being left, essentially, alone after the war. What Blaise didn't know, though, was that his mother had been sectioned and taken to St Mungo's shortly after his father's trial. Their closest neighbours, muggles who happened to live over three miles from the manor, had reported to him that his mother had been shouting about 'some dark dude' in the middle of the street during the middle of the night, wearing only her silk nightgown. Having no other choice, he had ensured her safety by having her locked up in her very own private room in the hospital. He privately thought that, in some strange way, she was lucky. She didn't have to face the wrath of the public as the only sane remaining member of the family who had housed the Dark Lord.

Reaching the bar, he placed his hand onto the counter to secure his place in the throng of people wanting drinks and turned his gaze to his fellow patrons. He noticed one particular lone witch leaning against the railing that surrounded the dance floor. She looked up at him, smiled and then turned back to her drink. Finding it odd that this witch, whom Draco felt no recognition for at all would smile at him, considering the reputation that appeared to enter any room he entered ten minutes before he did.

She was pretty. No, she was gorgeous. He remained where he was and surreptitiously glanced at her from the corner of his eye, wondering if perhaps they had met before. It would give her an excuse to smile at him, at the very least, though as he searched for any familiarity, he found none. Her hair was a brilliant blonde and hung in loose waves past her shoulders, reaching her elbows. If he were to see her from behind, he mused, it would fall midway down her back. She wore no make-up that he could make out and he assumed that she was well aware that she didn't need it. Her eyes were brown and they were an identical shade to his favourite Firewhiskey. She wasn't dressed provocatively, though what she wore only worked to highlight her best assets. A deep black v-neck blouse showed limited cleavage and a high-waisted skirt pulled her in at the waist. She had a perfect hourglass figure, and Draco decided that, since she had smiled at him, he would ditch his place at the bar and take a chance on her. Perhaps, he thought, she would allow him to buy her a drink.

He pushed through the bodies that had gathered around the bar and headed in her direction, reaching her quickly and smiling at her. He leaned his elbow on the railing that she leaned against and leaned close to her ear.

"Can I buy you a drink?" He asked, hoping that his chance would pay off. He was relieved when she looked up at him wide eyed and nodded.

"Firewhiskey, thanks!" She yelled over the music, smiling.

Draco nodded, grinned at her and then returned to the bar. He had not left his house tonight with the intention of finding a witch. Truthfully, he hadn't wanted to leave the house at all tonight but he was painfully aware that Blaise would only show up drunk and inexplicably loud in the early of the morning if he didn't. He had come out with the intention of showing his face, having a drink with his friend and then leaving soon afterwards, returning alone to the manor. He was handed his drinks in return for his galleons, and crossed back to where he had left the stunning witch at the railing.

"Here you go!" He shouted, handing her the full glass and taking the empty one from her, placing it on a nearby table.

"Thanks!" She replied, taking a sip and smiling. "Eloise Aintree!" She introduced loudly over the deep bass of the music, offering him her hand. "But everyone calls me Lois!"

"Draco Malfoy!" He reciprocated, taking her hand and lifting it to his lips, gently brushing his lips across her knuckles. "Pleasure to meet you."


	4. Hermione II

**Hermione, 1999**

Hermione would swear until she was blue in the face that her original intention was to gain just one night of annonymity. That was all she wanted, back then, just one night during which she could look out on the wizarding public and not be swarmed by well wishers and people who just wanted the accolade of having met her. She had planned her evening off from her life for weeks, finding the perfect place for an unfamiliar face to blend into the background. She had spent weeks looking closely at everybody who passed her in the street, gaining inspiration for her spellwork on the night. Honestly, it was just one night, it would never do anybody any harm.

Until of all the people in the entirety of the wizarding world, Draco Malfoy had approached her while she was disguised as someone else and she had spent the entire evening talking to him, finding out that he was definitely not the heartless coward that she and her friends had always thought him to be. Their conversation had been interspersed with laughter and for the first time in months, she had been happy with the company she had.

She had told him so many lies that night, but only towards the beginning of their talk. Even then she had considered them more half-truths than downright lies. Her back story was sound, she had been a British-born witch with an American father who insisted she attend Ilvermorny as he had. That was the story she told when he asked why he didn't remember her from Hogwarts, and he had believed it without hesitation. When he had asked about her, questions about the things that made her who she was, she told the truth.

She told him that she enjoyed nothing more than reading and had been known as a bit of a know-it-all in school. When he asked what her friends were like, she changed only the names that she told him. Half truths, you see? He had been incredibly open, telling her about his father and, as he had downed a few drinks, he had opened up about his mother and her mental health struggles. Hermione, or Eloise, had been suitably shocked and offered her condolences, but he had shrugged them off and their conversation had become lighter. By the end of the night he knew that she hated Quidditch, that she had a particular soft spot for muggle literature and was brought up in the muggle world. He knew that her parents were dead and she had no siblings. In short, by the end of that one night, Draco Malfoy knew more about her than anybody else did.

The only problem was, he didn't really know her at all and if he did... He would hate her. And as bizarre as it seemed, Hermione couldn't let that happen.

The first letter had arrived the next day. She had been shocked when his majestic owl had tapped on the window of her apartment and even more so when she unrolled the letter. What followed had been the catalyst for her downward descent into the maddening world of secrets and lies.

 _Eloise,_

 _Would you like to join me for dinner tonight?_

 _Draco_

 _Draco,_

 _Did your mother not teach you any manners? It is most rude to invite one to dinner without so much as a 'how are you'._

 _I am appalled by this lack of manners on your part._

 _Eloise_

 _Eloise,_

 _I can only offer my sincere apologies for my apparent lack of manners, but I am most eager to see you again._

 _How are you?_

 _Draco_

 _Draco,_

 _I can forgive you for your overeagerness, though just this once._

 _I am doing well, yourself?_

 _Eloise_

 _Eloise,_

 _As I have already informed, I am most eager to see you again._

 _Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?_

 _Draco_

That had been all it had taken for her to don her disguise once more and attend dinner with a man who had once treated her so badly. In truth, Hermione was intrigued by him and this new side he was displaying to her. Intrigue had always been her downfall, her inability to remain unknowing had gotten her in trouble in the past and it would get her in trouble again now, it seemed.


	5. Harry

**Harry, 2004**

Harry Potter enjoyed spending time with his family as much as the next person, but at this very second the noise around the dinner table at the Burrow was deafening and definitely not what he needed to rid himself of the headache that had been bothering him all day. Trying to focus his attention on one conversation seemed rather pointless, as his fellow diners were talking over one another and speaking to each other in disjointed sentences, attempting to continue multiple conversations at the same time.

"And then the newspaper said - Why is there an empty chair? - that the Malfoy boy was seen in a jewellery shop - I don't know where Hermione is, I haven't seen her in a few weeks - and they think he might be about to propose to Eloise! -"

Deciding it was better to tune out completely as opposed to trying to seperate them down into their individual topics, Harry focused on the food on his plate, forcing himself to ingest some though he really felt no hunger at all. Ron had finished his first plate a while ago and was now rapidly consuming his second. It was nice, he supposed, that some things never changed. Ron would always chew with his mouth open and talk with it full, Molly would always fuss over every person younger than her who entered the house, Arthur would always be obsessed with muggle technology and Hermione...

Well, that was the problem, wasn't it? Because Hermione had changed. Not in any distinctive way that he could tell, it wasn't as if all of a sudden she'd started burning books and supporting the rogue death eaters. But she had changed, and Harry couldn't discern how. That unsettled him, because he believed that he was closer to her than anyone else in the world. She was his sister in all but blood and he didn't want to think that she could be hiding anything from him, but something felt wrong when he saw her. And that was another thing, he hardly ever did see her. She claimed to work in the muggle world, but Harry could never get a straight answer out of her about it. She always said it was a bookshop in a vague area of London, but she had never given him a name. On the odd evenings that they came together, she would always come to Grimmauld Place, his home with Ginny. He had tried to visit her occassionally but had always found her floo blocked.

And where was she tonight? Come to think of it, when was the last time she came to a Weasley Sunday dinner? She had been almost religious about her attendance for a few years and then her appearances started to become more sporadic. How long had it been since she stopped attending at all? He hoped that if she were keeping secrets that she would feel comfortable enough to tell him, but he wasn't too sure of anything any more.

"Harry!" Ginny snapped as she tapped his arm. Feeling that he had missed something, he turned to his wife and raised a brow in her direction, silently asking her to repeat herself. She rolled her eyes before doing so, "I was wondering when you last saw Hermione?"

"A couple of weeks ago, I think, why?" Harry asked, hoping that Ginny had met with her more recently.

"Well George was just saying that he saw Hermione acting oddly in Diagon Alley the other day, weren't you George?" Ginny said, gesturing for Harry to turn his attention to her older brother.

"Yeah, it was really weird." George started, a pronounced frown on his face, "She sat down at the same table as Malfoy and then left after he said something. I was in the shop, so I didn't hear what he said."

"When was this?" Harry asked, hoping that she hadn't got herself wrapped up in whatever dodgy business Malfoy was upto these days.

"Couple of days ago," George said, taking a sip of his Pumpkin Juice, "His girlfriend appeared not long after she left though."

"I can't believe the ferret managed to land someone as fit as her," Ron put into the conversation, "I mean what does she see in that pale git?"

"His money, probably," Harry smirked at his friend, "Can't imagine it's his personality, at any rate!"

Ron laughed and Harry turned his attention back to his plate, thinking about what George had told him. What on earth would Hermione want with Draco Malfoy? He couldn't imagine any reason she would choose to sit at the same table as him, especially not on purpose. Perhaps it was all innocent, and she had just not realised that he was at the table before she sat down. It did seem like the most likely scenario, so he chose to accept that as his answer and move on with his dinner.


	6. Draco II

**Draco, 2000**

Draco couldn't believe how much his life had changed in the past year. Most importantly, he wasn't alone any more. He thanked whatever gods may be that he had decided to go out for a drink that day back in April, the night he had met the girl who had come to mean so much to him. For eight months his life had been constantly improved by this previously unknown witch and now, in the early hours of New Years Day, he gazed down at the beautiful blonde as she slept against his chest. He didn't know what he had done to deserve someone as understanding and wonderful as her, but he knew that he could never take her for granted. If he lost her, he would not be able to live with himself.

She fidgeted slightly in his arms and he felt her nuzzle into the bare skin of his chest. Smiling, he lifted his hand and ran his fingers through her soft locks. She smiled in her sleep and murmered at his ministrations. Pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead, he closed his eyes before feeling her hand tighten on the side of his stomach.

"What time is it?" She murmered against his skin, slowly moving her head to look up at him and he smiled down at her.

"Just past half one." He told her, opening one eye and gazing down at her as he continued running his fingers through her hair.

"Oh no!" She exclaimed, sitting up suddenly, not bothering to cover her bare chest as she did. "We've missed midnight!"

Draco let his hands fall from her hair and couldn't help the rumble of laughter that escaped his chest. She looked so stunning in the moonlight with her hair cascading over her shoulders and brushing over her breasts. Her eyes were wide as she watched him chuckling at her and he calmed as he gazed up at her. She looked like an angel.

"It doesn't matter, angel." He murmered, pulling her down to the mattress and pushing himself up on his elbow to hover over her. Running his finger across her stomach he smiled as her skin erupted in goosebumps. "We can celebrate now, though."

"And how do you propose we do that, Draco?" She murmered, smiling seductively.

Draco used his free hand to push her hair away from her neck and dipped his head down, nuzzling against her pulse point with the tip of his nose.

"I can think of some ideas." He whispered, before suddenly digging his teeth into her neck, just as he knew she liked. Not too hard, but definitely hard enough to be felt sharply. She moaned and moved a hand up to the back of his neck, tugging slightly on the hairs at the nape.

His hand returned to its gentle strokes on her stomach, pleased slowly moving upwards until the tip of his fingers touched the underside of her breast and she groaned beneath him. Pushing himself up and moving so that he was kneeling between her legs, and grabbed both of her wrists and pinned them on either side of her head.

"I love you, Eloise." He said, very seriously, for the first time and smiled when she grinned up at him.

"I love you too, Draco." She smiled, trying to pull her hands out from his grasp but giving up when his grip tightened. "Now shut up and make love to me."

Draco couldn't help but laugh, but he soon shut up and did as he was told.


	7. Hermione III

**Hermione, 2004**

Magic, as Hermione had discovered when she was eleven and spent every day rediscovering since, was a marvelous thing to be capable of. For the past five years, magic had been her saving grace, not more so than with her apartment. With magic, she was able to cast charms that made the wards on her apartment change depending on who she was playing the part of, which allowed her to keep her secrets that much more, well, secret.

When Hermione was herself, her wards allowed Harry and the Weasleys through without hesitation. It meant that they were free to come and see her, either by floo or apparition, without having to notify her of their intention to visit. It was how Ron had been able to enter the apartment to raid her fridge. It was also how Harry had entered her apartment today. She had found him in her living room, waiting for her, when she returned from the supermarket.

"Where've you been, 'Mione?" Harry asked, stern and unsmiling.

"You know I hate that nickname, Harry." Hermione groaned, walking past him and into the kitchen before turning and shouting back at him. "Clearly, I have been shopping."

When she had finished putting her groceries away, she turned, intending to go back into the living room and nearly shrieked when she saw Harry standing less than two metres in front of her. Bloody idiot... Sneaking up on a war heroine...

"I don't just mean today, Hermione," He said, putting extra emphasis on her full name, "I mean in general. You don't come to the Burrow any more."

"I've been busy, Harry," she groaned, scooting around him and entering the living room, knowing full well that he would follow her. "Work, you know?"

"No, Hermione, I don't know." Harry snapped, collapsing down onto her sofa. "I don't even know where you work!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and sat down carefully next to him, perched on the edge of her own sofa. This argument had been going round and round between them for years, now, and if Hermione had told him the vaguest lies she could possibly get away with. The truth was an impossible option and Hermione hated to lie to him, but at this point it was a neccessary evil. Sighing, she turned to him.

"Harry, you know everything you need to know." She said, unconvincingly.

"But not everything I want to know, Hermione!" Harry snapped, standing up abruptly and turning to her, "What are you hiding?"

Hermione gulped. Harry had never asked her outright if she was hiding something from him before. Had something changed? Was he suspicious? Well, obviously he was, but did he have a specific reason to be suspicious? Had she been seen casting her glamours? She was always so careful to ensure noone caught a sight of her changing...

"I'm not hiding anything, Harry." Hermione snapped, trying to sound offended rather than paranoid. "How could you even think that?"

"Something has changed Hermione." He growled, "I'm not as stupid as you seem to think I am."

"Harry, I have never once called you stupid." Hermione said, now truly offended, looking up at him.

"I will find out what you're hiding, Hermione. I promise you that." Harry snarled before turning away from her and storming to the floo. Calling out for the Ministry, Hermione watched as he dissappeared from her fireplace before dropping her head into her hands.


	8. Hermione IV

**Hermione, 2000**

Hermione sat in the sunshine outside of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour and waited for Ginny to show up as they had arranged. As she waited, she glanced at passers by and wondered what they were thinking, and, more importantly, what secrets they kept hidden. For a year, now, she had been leading a double life. In truth she had never expected for things to ever go this far. She had been aware that Draco was attracted to her alter ego, but for them to fall in love with each other had been an unthinkable situation. Yet, here they were. Sharing their hopes and dreams with one another. Unattainable, unthinkable dreams.

"Hey, Hermione." Ginny said excitedly as she pulled out the chair opposite her and sat down, throwing down today's edition of the Daily Prophet, "Have you seen this?"

Hermione almost threw up when she saw a picture of herself, well Eloise, and Draco on the front page under the headline 'Happiness at Last for Bad Boy Malfoy'. Oh god, how and when had this happened? Trying to hide her shock, she smiled at Ginny and turned back to the paper, trying to discern details from the picture. It didn't seem to be in an urban location, which she had expected as they hardly ever ventured out into overly populated areas. Where was this picture taken? What was she wearing... Oh, she had her favorite maxi-dress on. This must have been taken last weekend. Oh crap.

"How did he manage that?!" Ginny gasped pointing to the moving image. Hermione, er, Eloise was seen pushing up on her tiptoes and pressing a kiss on Draco's cheek as he smiled softly down at her.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, feigning disinterest.

"Well she's bloody beautiful!" Ginny exclaimed, pulling the paper from her friend and looking at the photo. "I know he's not bad to look at, but she is next level!"

Hermione frowned. It was incredible, to her at least, that noone had noticed the likeness between her and Eloise Aintree. She didn't go overboard with her glamours. She changed her hair colour and length, lightened her skin tone and added a couple of inches of height. That was it. There were no drastic changes to her facial features or other more feminine assets. Hermione couldn't help but wonder why Ginny found Draco Malfoys love interest so attractive, but had been known to describe Hermione as plain and natural, when they had literally exactly the same face.

"She seems quite plain to me." Hermione muttered, looking down at the photo that now lay between them on the table.

"Hermione, I would describe you as plain." Ginny grinned, pointing at her before moving her finger onto the picture. "This girl is stunning."

If Hermione wasn't such a forgiving person, she would have slapped Ginny in the face for that comment. As it was, she just shrugged and moved the conversation onto other subjects. Before long, Ginny was gushing about plans for her upcoming wedding to Harry and asking for Hermione's opinion on colour schemes. In truth, she really couldn't care less. Her eyes kept falling to the picture of herself, disguised as someone else, so openly showing affection to the man that she was so deeply in love with. She couldn't help but wish the girl in the photo looked like her as she was right now, though she knew that if she did, Draco would have never let her get close enough to kiss him.


	9. Eloise

**Eloise, 2004**

When she was appearing to all the world as Eloise, the only person who was granted access through her floo or apparition wards was Draco. He was the only person that mattered to her when she was in this guise. Tonight he was coming for dinner, and Eloise looked around the room, double checking that it showed no signs of her real self. There never were any signs. There were no photos or overly personal trinkets in the apartment. She had made sure, when decorating the place, that it seemed personal without being too much so. It looked like a show home, and that was fine for her.

She smiled as she heard the floo chime and turned just in time to see the tall blonde man stepping out of her fireplace. He was dressed, as always, in a black shirt and trousers, but had obviously come straight from work because he was carrying his briefcase and his top buttons were undone. He looked exhausted and Eloise briefly wondered whether she should send him home to rest, until he crossed the room and suddenly his lips were pressed urgently against hers.

"I've missed you." He murmered between kisses. Eloise couldn't help but laugh.

"It's only been two days, Draco." She chuckled, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him to her.

"Two days is far too long to go without your beauty." He said, pouting adorably at her as he pulled away.

"As charming as ever, Draco." She laughed, urging him to sit down on the sofa. "Wine?"

"Yes please, love." He nodded eagerly.

She collected the chilled white wine from the fridge and collected two wine glasses before returning to the living room and sitting next to him, curling into his side.

Conversation flowed between them as well as the wine. Eloise always enjoyed these quiet nights in with him. The public, after their first appearancei in the Daily Prophet had taken great interest in their relationship and they had soon lost any semblance of a private life. The only time they were guaranteed to be alone and not spied on was in either of their homes. They had made the decision a while ago to try and stay out of the public eye, as the strain on their relationship had started to pull them apart, and neither of them would allow that to happen.

Once the bottle of wine was empty, Eloise moved to straddle Draco's lap, nuzzling his neck with her nose. He sighed and she felt him relax into the sofa, bringing his hands up to run up and down her side. She giggled when he hissed as she bit his neck, knowing that it was much more of a turn on to her than to him. When Draco stood up suddenly, taking her with him and supporting her with his hands on the curve of her arse, she shrieked, but it surprise soon turned to pleasure when he walked into the bedroom and deposited her on the bed, climbing on top of her.

Afterwards, breathless and sated, they lay entangled with each other, each basking in the presence of the other. Five years since their relationship had begun, the passion had not dwindled, and Eloise counted herself lucky that this was the case

"I've been thinking..." Draco said, suddenly lifting himself up on her elbow and eyeing her intently.

"Did it hurt?" Eloise teased and Draco huffed, rolling his eyes. "Sorry, go on."

"Well, how would you feel about moving into the manor?"

Oh. Shit.


	10. Draco III

**Draco, 2001**

"You know, Draco," Blaise said, "You've been seeing this Eloise chick for almost two years and I've never met her. Why so secretive?"

Draco and Blaise had met up for lunch on one of their rare joint days off. Blaise was still his best friend, thought it would be true to say they had drifted apart somewhat. He supposed it was normal, to slowly grow apart as you aged, but it didn't make it any easier to think that perhaps one day the man sitting across from him would no longer be in his life. At least, that would be the case if they continued to drift. He shrugged as he finished his mouthful of food.

"It's just never come up, I guess." He said, "You'd get on really well with her though I reckon."

"It's serious, then?" Blaise enquired, never having known Draco to stick with one girl for more than a couple of months until he met Eloise.

"This is it, mate." Draco grinned unashamed. "I'm gonna marry that girl one day, I swear it."

"Oh really now?" Blaise chuckled, shocked at his friends certainty. "And what does she have to say about that?"

Honestly? They'd never discussed marriage. They had discussed their individual dreams and aspirations, but the conversation had never arose where those dreams merged into one bigger scenario. At times, it irked Draco that she would seemingly avoid the topic, but he let it slide thinking that perhaps she was just waiting on him to make his move. He imagined what she would look like in a gorgeous white gown and grinned at his dinner companion and was just about to speak when Blaise pointed his attention towards the door of the restaurant.

"Look who just walked in." Blaise muttered and Draco turned to look.

"Oh great." Draco groaned, catching a glimpse of he golden trio. "5 galleons says they come over here and..."

"Malfoy." Came Harry's voice before he could finish his sentence.

"Potter." Draco greeted, not unkindly though definitely not warmly.

He watched as Weasley glared at him and Granger touched Potter on the arm, gesturing that they should sit at their table.

"Come on, Harry." Granger said, her eyes were pleading and familiar. How many times had he looked into those eyes and insulted her?

"How are things, Malfoy?" Harry asked, ignoring her.

"Not too bad. Can't complain." Draco said, smirking.

"Harry, please." Granger said, glancing between Potter and him.

She smiled shyly and her eyes flashed with hurt when he frowned. Potter finally gave in and the three walked across the restaurant and he turned back to Blaise, who was eyeing Granger weirdly. Chancing a glance at her, he saw her quickly avert her gaze from where it had been facing their direction, looking down at her menu. He turned back to Blaise and raised his brow.

"Have you ever noticed..." Blaise said, tearing his eyes away from the golden trio and back to him, "How Granger and Eloise look a lot alike, from what I've seen in the paper?"

Draco stared at him dumbstruck for a moment before bursting into loud laughter. Several heads turned to look at him before he calmed down and took a sip of his water. He shook his head as he regained his breath.

"Mate, have you gone absolutely mental?" He chuckled.

"I'm serious, Draco." Blaise said. "If Hermione were just a bit taller and blonde, they'd be almost identical."

"That's in, I'm convinced." Draco said staring perplexedly at his friend, "You've lost it. Eloise is stunning, insanely beautiful. Granger's just... Granger."

He watched as Blaise sighed and shook his head, sighing.

"I'm telling you mate, if you looked closer you'd see it."


	11. Eloise II

**Eloise, 2001**

Draco had convinced her to come with him to a high class event being held by the memory to mark three years since the end of the war. She was absolutely dreading it. She knew that she couldn't avoid these public appearances, but this would be their first 'official' appearance where they would be photographed by the media and paraded around for all of magical britain to see. Possibly the world. Perhaps she was being paranoid, but she was certain she would be recognised. Probably by the people who were supposed to be her best friends, but in truth had no idea who the hell she was.

It was growing more and more difficult to keep up this ruse. The lines were becoming blurred and she was slipping. She'd had a couple of close calls recently and she knew that she needed to keep it in check if she was going to keep up with her own lies.

Take, for instance, the day in the restaurant. Hermione had been going for a nice lunch with Harry and Ron and had come face to face with the man who owned her heart, but of course he had no idea. Her heart had broken in her chest when he frowned at her, as though she had offended him just by her mere presence. Blaise had been staring at her that day and she had been paranoid that he had figured her out, but he hadn't said anything yet, so she had let it slide.

She had also come face to face with George Weasley in her disguise as Eloise, and it had taken great effort on her part to act as though she didn't know who he was. He had looked at her very oddly when they had been introduced by Draco, who had taken to shopping in Wizard Wheezes since the war, apparently, but George had shaken his head and the odd moment had passed. Hopefully it had been a passing resemblance that he recognised, and nothing more.

However tonight... Tonight was a terrifying prospect. Tonight everybody would be there, all in one place. All of the Weasley's and all of Draco's fellow Slytherins. She would be forced to ignore the people she would usually be stuck to and be stuck with people she would usually ignore. It was going to be... Confusing. As Hermione, she had made her excuses and ducked out of coming, which had caused great upset with Harry and Ron, who had wanted to appear as the complete 'golden trio'

"You ready, love?" Draco asked as he stepped behind her, putting his arms around her waist from behind and resting his chin on her shoulder. She nodded at his reflection in the mirror, trying her best not to appear nervous. He read her hesitation, but he got the reasons horribly wrong.

"Hey, stop worrying." he soothed, spinning her to face him and kissing her forehead. "My friends are going to love you. You've nothing to worry about."

Eloise nodded and tried to swallow her nerves, allowing Draco to pul her with him into the floo and closing her eyes as they span, only reopening them once they reached the Ministry. All eyes turned to her as they appeared and the camera bulbs started flashing like crazy and Eloise plastered a smile on her face, clinging to Draco and praying that tonight would go well


	12. Blaise

**Blaise, 2001**

"I know something about you." He muttered in the ear of his best friends girlfriend, who turned around suddenly and gazed up at him with wide eyes. She looked terrified and he chuckled, shaking his head.

"What?" She gasped when he didn't say anything immediately.

"At least I think I do." He frowned slightly, "Are you of any relation to Hermione Granger?"

Eloise burst into peals of laughter and her body lost the rigidity that had fallen upon it when he had spoken his first words to her. She shook her head at him as she laughed and gently swiped a tear from her eye.

"You're not the first person to mention it." She chuckled. "I'm not sure, I've never heard of a connection. Why do you ask?"

"You look a lot alike, is all." Blaise smiled. "Draco refuses to see the resemblance, though."

"I've heard about their relationship, or lack thereof," Eloise shrugged, taking a sip of her drink, "He hates her, no?"

"I think hate is a pretty strong word," Blaise chuckled. "I just don't think he's ever had the opportunity to get to know her. She was alright in school."

"Oh," Eloise muttered, looking shocked but covering it quickly. "What do you think of her?"

"I never knew her well enough to form an opinion, but I know that she's fiercely loyal and protective of the ones she loves." Blaise said, turning to look at the golden trio, minus one. "Which begs the question, where is she tonight?"

Eloise didn't answer and he turned his gaze to her as she looked over to the two male members of the trio. He thought he read something like... Longing? In her eyes but it passed by so quickly that he started to believe it had never really been there at all. Telling her that he had to go and circulate, he said goodbye and walked across to talk to Draco, who was talking to one of his employees.

"Alright, Draco?" He asked, picking up a drink from the table behind his friend. "Eloise is rather lovely."

"I know she is." Draco grinned, glancing briefly over at her. "What were you saying to her?"

"Just discussing school and such." Blaise said, vaguely.

"Okay. I'm just going to go and check if she's okay, see you later." Draco said and patted him on the shoulder as he passed.

Blaise watched his friend and noticed how warmly he smiled at the girl. Taking a sip of his drink and grimacing at the taste, he watched as Eloise tiptoed and pressed her lips gently to Draco's, who smiled against her lips and put his hands on her arms to hold her steady. Truthfully, they were an attractive couple, but as Blaise imagined Eloise with brown hair, he knew that there was something connecting that girl to Hermione Granger


	13. Draco IV

**Draco, 2004**

"What do you think?" he repeated when Eloise didn't answer straight away, frowning when she pulled away from him and sat up crossing her legs.

"I'm not sure, Draco." She murmered and Draco pushed himself up to sit with her.

"Why not?" He asked, "We've been together for five years, Lois, why not?"

Eloise sighed and pushed herself away from him, getting to her feet and walking across the room to grab her dressing gown. Draco watched, growing angry at her reluctance to formal commitment. He waited for her to speak, wondering what her excuses would be.

"I love this place, Draco. It's my home." She sighed, shaking her head and focusing her gaze on the floor. Draco growled and stood, crossing to stop before her.

"You can't live here forever, Eloise." He snapped. "If I'm honest I'm beginning to wonder if you're as commited to this relationship as I am!"

"How can you say that?" Eloise gasped.

"Let's look at the facts, shall we?" Draco snarled, picking up his hand and pointing to each finger in turn. "I've brought up moving in with me, and you refuse. You won't allow me to even discuss engagement an marriage, and the one time I brought up children you blew your top."

Eloise looked up to him with tears in her eyes and Draco felt the anger evaporate from his body under her stare. She looked... Scared. Not of him, never of him, but of commitment and promises. He couldn't understand why she was so hesitant, especially after being together so long already, but he couldn't bring himself to be angry at her for her fears.

"Why are you so scared of this?" Draco whispered, taking her hands in his, "Of us?"

"I'm not scared of us, Draco." Eloise sighed shakily, clearing her throat before continuing. "I'm scared of a lot of things, but I'm not scared of us."

"Then what's holding you back?" Draco asked, squeezing her hands.

"I... I don't know." She laughed nervously, rolling her eyes and swiping away the tears that escaped her eyes.

Sighing, Draco shook his head and pulled her into his arms. He didn't know why he couldn't be angry at her, but he wished sometimes he could. He would love nothing more than to have her walking up the aisle to him and providing him with promises of a lifetime filled with love. He loved her so much, he couldn't imagine life without her. She had become the central focus of his life and her reluctance to move forward with him scared him


	14. Hermione V

**Hermione, 2002**

Hermione was tired. More than tired, she was exhausted, frankly. How many lies had she told over the last three years? How many times had she had to make the choice between her love or her friends? She'd lost count a long time ago and she was starting to lose her will to keep lying. Part of her wanted to just come out and admit to her own deceit, but she knew she would lose... Everything. Her friends would hate her for falling in love with their enemy and her boyfriend would be back to her enemy, except worse, because it would break his heart.

Every time she was with Draco, she wanted nothing more than to own up to her own lies, but the look of love in his eyes when he looked at Eloise stopped her. He loved Eloise, and he hated who she was underneath. That realisation made her feel sick to her stomach. He would turn his back on her as quick as breathing if he knew the truth. He didn't love her, he loved how she looked and that hurt her more than anything she could have imagined. It was a shallow kind of love, one that could be broken by the mere removal of charms.

When she was with Harry and Ron she wanted nothing more than to shout from the rooftops how much she adored Draco Malfoy but she knew that their faces would fall and they would be so dissappointed with her. Even back in their fourth year, when she had gone to the Yule Ball with Viktor, Ron had accused her of 'fraternizing with the enemy', and this was... So much worse!

In her heart of hearts, she knew that she would never find someone as wonderful and perfect for her as Draco was. She knew that anybody else would pale in comparison to him, but one day the truth would come out as it always did. The thought made her heart stop and each time she thought it she resolved to play both parts for as long as she could, until she had no choice. At that point... Well she'd cross that bridge when she came to it.

Three years. Three long years of lying and hiding from everyone. She wished there was just one person, any person that she could be completely honest with, but at this point, she definitely wasn't hopeful to find them.

Now though, she had dinner to prepare for with her boyfriend. A boyfriend who loved her more than anything and she loved more than she had ever loved herself.


	15. Blaise II

**Blaise, 2003**

Blaise had an idea of what was going on, and a simple thing had sparked it. There had been numerous public functions in the last few years, since Eloise and Draco had become involved and the wizarding world seemed completely of one simple, glaring fact:

Hermione Granger and Eloise Aintree had never been seen in the same room.

It could be purely coincidental, but he was almost certain that it wasn't. The fact of the matter was that if Draco attended a function with Eloise, Hermione would be conspicuously absent from her friends. If Hermione attended, then Draco would say Eloise had been unable to come. It was too... Too perfect. And Blaise had a plan.

He knew that Eloise was planning to go shopping for Draco's christmas gift today, as Draco had told him she was when they had lunch together the other day. His plan was simple. Follow her, corner her and cast finite incantatum. If there was nothing untoward going on then nothing would happen and she would just think Draco had some crazy friends who liked to cast random spells at unsuspecting girlfriends. Not the end of the world. If it worked as he thought it would though... Well, he didn't know what he'd do at that point, he intended to wing it if that occured.

He was stood in the shadows off of the main entrance to Diagon Alley, waiting to glimpse the blonde beauty. He had been here for hours, and honestly his feet were going numb and he wanted to give up, but he needed to know what was going on. If he needed to jump in and protect Draco then he would. Hopefully he wouldn't but...

There! Eloise had just stepped out of Flourish and Blott's, carrying a huge parcel of what Blaise assumed to be books under her arm. Grinning to himself, he cast a disillusionment on himself and jogged to catch up to her, stopping when he was a few feet away. When she turned into her next shop, Quality Quidditch Supplies, Blaise waited outside, tucked away so that noone would walk into him.

When he had waited outside no less than five shops for her, unwittingly reminded of how much he hated shopping with women, he found his chance. He followed as she turned down an alleyway that he knew leaded towards the apparition point and trailed her until they turned the corner. A few steps before the apparition point, Blaise pulled out his wand and whispered the incantation, waiting as it took effect and...

"I fucking knew it!" he shouted, cancelling the disillusionment. "What the hell are you playing at, Granger?"

Hermione Granger stood before him wide eyed and terrified, as though Blaise was about Avada her on the spot. She gaped at him and turned to leave but Blaise grabbed her arm, a little too roughly perhaps and pulled her back towards the alley.

"Blaise, please..." She begged hoarsely as tears began to escape her eyes.

"Oh no, you've got some explaining to do!" Blaise growled, dragging her with him


	16. Hermione VI

**Hermione, 2003**

"Blaise..." Hermione muttered once he had forcefully pushed her into a booth in the Leaky Cauldron.

"Right, first of all, what the hell is going on?" He asked, glaring at her.

"Where do I start?" She muttered, not able to meet his gaze.

"Are you trying to hurt Draco?" Blaise asked, and Hermione snapped her head up to him, shocked.

"No!" She said, vehemently, "I never meant to be Eloise for more than one night. Then he came along and... Blaise, I swear, I never meant to fall in love with him."

Hermione was in shock. Her secret was out and she had no idea what the hell she was supposed to do about it. She hoped that Blaise would keep her secret, but she immediately realised how selfish of her it would be to drag him into her web of lies. She sighed and watched him try to process the madness he had just stepped into, wondering what he was going to do.

"You love him?" He asked and she nodded, tearful. "None of this is some kind of... Insane revenge plot?"

"No." Hermione said, smiling weakly, "It's insane, yes, but it's nothing to do with revenge."

"Okay." Blaise sighed, relaxing slightly. "Next topic. Who the bloody hell is Eloise Aintree?"

"She's nobody. I made her up." Hermione groaned, closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose. "Hang on." she pulled her wand and flicked it, shrugging at Blaise when he frowned. "Muffliato. Noone can hear our conversation but us, now."

"Clever." Blaise muttered, smiling slightly. "Right, so you said this was supposed to be a one night thing, what, to sleep with Draco?" Hermione shook her head sadly.

"I just wanted some annonymity. To... Blend into the background for a night. Draco was there and he approached me and..." Hermione flicked her wand, performing her practiced glamours. She watched as Blaise's eyes flickered with awe as she switched a few times between Hermione and Eloise, settling once again as herself, shrugging.

"Bloody hell. I gotta say, it's pretty impressive, Granger." he muttered.

"Thanks," She snorted, "It's hard bloody work, is what it is."

They were silent for a few minutes as each let the information settle in their minds. Hermione watched Blaise for any sign of anger and was relieved though surprised to find none. She supposed that it helped that whatever she felt was real, whoever she appeared to be.

"Why don't you tell him the truth?" Blaise asked, breaking the silence. Hermione sighed.

"How do you think he would take that, Blaise? I love him, so much, and he loves Eloise. He hates me. He's always hated me. I don't want to lose him, and if this is what I have to do then... Then this is what I do." She finished with a whisper, feeling emotions well up within her.

"But... You are Eloise!" Blaise exclaimed, and Hermione tried a different way to explain.

"Imagine this, right? I walk up to Draco, as Hermione, and tell him that for the last almost five years he's been sharing his deepest secrets, his dreams, his bed and his heart. And he thinks that either a) I've gone bloody mental or b) I've been spying on him." She said, jabbing the table with her finger. "He'd never accept that this is a mess I got stuck in because I bloody fell for him. He'd think I was doing this to hurt him, right?"

"Right." Blaise groaned. "Of course that would be conclusion he would jump to. But you know he loves you, right?" Hermione snorted.

"He loves Eloise. He could never love me." She said, shaking her head sadly


	17. Eloise III

**Eloise, 2004**

Draco had, thankfully, dropped the subject of moving in, but she felt immensely guilty for how she had made him feel. He had questioned her commitment to him and she wished for nothing else in that moment than to tell him the truth, but she knew what would happen if she did. Since Blaise had discovered her secret, he had been supportive, though he was pushing for her to tell him the truth, no matter how many different ways she tried to explain it.

She was rushing from her apartment, knowing that she was due to meet Draco in 10 minutes and also knowing that she was 20 minutes away on foot. She knew she could apparate, but even to do that she would have to walk 10 minutes to get to the apparition point, more if there was anything to hold her up, like traffic lights and such. She hated being late, it had always been one of her pet peeves so for her to be late for something herself, it annoyed her. Deciding that it would be better for her to return to her own flat and apparate from there.

She appeared seven minutes later in Diagon Alley and rushed to the restaurant, where she found Draco waiting for her. Sitting down opposite him, she smiled.

"Am I late?" She asked, and Draco looked up at her, smiling.

"You're never late, Lois." He said, reaching our for her hand, which she offered willingly.

"Have you ordered?" She asked, knowing that he knew her likes and dislikes, and he nodded. "Good, I'm starving!"

"I ordered the wine, too." Draco chuckled, indicating her full glass, which she picked up and tasted, humming her approval.

"So what's so important that you wanted to talk about?" She smiled, stroking his knuckles with her thumb.

"Later, lets enjoy out lunch first!" He grinned, just as the waiter appeared and put their food before them.

He had ordered her favorite, Crab Cakes, and they talked as they ate. They discussed Draco's work and what Eloise would be wearing to the upcoming ministry function. Eloise had explained her dress in detail but when he asked if he could have a sneak preview, she laughed and told him he would just have to wait. Once their main meals were taken away, Draco took her hand and smiled at her.

"You know I love you right?" He asked, smiling and she nodded.

"Of course, you know I love you too." She replied, frowning slightly. "Is everything okay?"

"I hope so." Draco muttered.

She watched as Draco reached into his pocket and noted that his knee was bouncing, as it did when he was nervous. She felt her heartrate increase and a sense of panic washed over her. He wouldn't do what she thought he was going to do, would he? His hand slowly pulled out of his jacket pocket and her breath hitched to see him holding a box. A bloody ring box.

"Eloise?" He asked, and she stared wide eyed at him.

She couldn't breathe. It was physically impossible, right now, for her to get any air into her lungs. Her head was pounding and she wanted to vomit.

"I love you, more than I ever thought it possible to love anybody."

Oh god, she really needed to bloody breathe or she was going to pass out.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Please, Hermione, Eloise, whoever you are, BREATHE.

"Will you marry me?"

Hermione slumped from her chair and felt her head hit the floor before she could answer


	18. Hermione VII

**Hermione, 2004**

Shortly after their discussion, Hermione had decided that the time was coming that her secret would be discovered by people less willing to keep it than Blaise was. Deciding that she needed to do... Something, she stole Blaise's address from Draco's address book one night while he was asleep and came up with a plan.

Now it was two weeks later, and Hermione rang the bell to his apartment, waiting for him to answer. His voice spoke over the intercom and when she told him who it was, he let her up. He was stood in the front door when she arrived at it and he ushered her inside.

"Hermione." He nodded his greeting. "This is a surprise. What can I do for you?"

Hermione sighed and looked up at the man through tired eyes. She motioned for him to sit down and did the same, hoping that he would agree to do one thing, just one thing for her. She had no right to ask this of him, but she was going to anyway. The worst he could do was say no.

"I need.. I need you to do me a favour?" She stuttered and Blaise frowned.

"I'm not telling him for you." He said, sternly and she chuckled.

"No, Blaise. Not that." She sighed, reaching into her bag and pulling out an envelope, passing it to him.

"What's this?" Blaise asked, eyeing the paper, focused on where she knew Draco's name to be.

"I know that one day, probably soon, everything is going to fall apart around me and I'm going to lose... Well everybody, likely." She said, nervously.

"And what's this?" He said, waving the envelope.

"If Draco finds out about Eloise and Me being, well, me... I was hoping you'd give him that." She said, pointing to it. Blaise nodded.

"I can do that, I think." He smiled, "What is it?"

"A goodbye, of sorts." She sighed, feeling her eyes well with tears at the thought. "An explanation and a promise never to contact him. As myself or Eloise. He doesn't deserve that."

She watched as Blaise frowned and fingered her writing of his friends name. She hoped that it would never need delivering, but deep down, she knew that her abilities to keep up with her own lies were beginning to fail. She was lagging, and she needed to know that Draco would know the truth, rather than piecing things together and jumping to a false conclusion.

"Are you sure about this?" Blaise asked, his face concerned as he watched her. She shrugged.

"I don't know how much longer I can do this, Blaise. I love him, but I know I'll lose him if he finds out so..."

"Anything I can do?" Blaise asked kindly.

"Give him that and... Be there for him if... No when he needs you." Hermione said, sniffling. "Thank you, Blaise." She whispered, rising from the sofa and letting herself out


	19. Draco V

**Draco, 2004**

"Mr Malfoy?" The healer asked, approaching him as he sat in the waiting room.

Draco jumped up and shook the hand that was offered to him. When Eloise had collapsed at dinner, he had been shocked to say the least. When she hadn't woken immediately he had apparated her to St Mungo's, where he had been waiting for the last hour for news of what was going on. Hopefully this man before him had it, otherwise he might go on a rampage.

"I'm Healer Goodman, I've been working on your fiancée." He said kindly and Draco nodded.

"How is she?" He asked tightly.

"She is awake and resting. Her blood pressure was dangerously high when you brought her here and we've managed to stabilise that." Goodman said and Draco breathed a sigh of relief. She was okay.

"Can I see her?" He asked and he healer nodded before starting to walk, indicating Draco should follow.

Draco trailed after the man until he stopped outside of one of the private rooms. He glanced in the window of the door and saw the familiar outline of Eloise's body and he turned to look at the healer who had just cleared his throat.

"I should tell you, Mr Malfoy, that we had to give her a calming draught before she would settle down. She became quite panicked when we told her we had removed her glamours, and-"

"Glamours? What glamours?" Draco snapped, frowning at the healer.

"Oh..." The healer stammered, "Were you- Were you unaware of them?" he asked

Draco frowned at the man, but couldn't find any words to answer him. The healer sighed and indicated for him to enter the room and Draco moved his hand to the handle. Why was Eloise wearing Glamours? Was there... Something wrong with her? Scars? What could she possibly be hiding from him? She should know that he found her beautiful in and out. She was his everything.

He stepped into the room and walked around the bed, frowning as he saw a mass of brown curls laying across the pillow. He stopped, wondering what the hell was going on. Who was this woman? Where was Eloise? He briefly considered going to find the healer, telling him that there must have been a mistake, but he saw the ring he had uncermoniously shoved onto her unconscious finger knowing that the healers wouldn't talk to him unless he was family. This was Eloise... But it...

This definitely was not Eloise.

Looking up at him with wide, terrified, tearful eyes was Hermione Granger. This... this was wrong. This was a nightmare. Any minute now, he would wake up, right? He pinched himself and winced, dismayed to see that he was definitely not dreaming.

"Draco?" She whimpered quietly and Draco couldn't bring himself to speak. His eyes were wide as he frantically shook his head, backing away from her before turning and leaving the room. Before the door closed behind him, he heard the most heart breaking, gut wrenching sob leave the room after him. He apparated away, going to the only person who would offer him a place to get royally fucking drunk


	20. Draco VI

**Draco, 2004**

"Open the fucking door!" He roared as he slammed his fists into the wood. "Blaise you fucki-"

"What the hell is going on?!" Blaise demanded, swinging the door open so suddenly that Draco almost fell into his friend, whose eyes widened as he took in his friends frenzied appearance.

"I need the strongest fucking alcohol you've got." Draco snarled, barging past him and collapsing on the sofa, dropping his head into his hands and pulling his hair with force.

Draco was surprised when a hand nudged him and he looked up to come face to... Tumbler with a glass of whiskey. A big glass. Blaise was frowning down at him and he snatched the whiskey from him, downing it in one go and wincing as it went down his throat and warmed his stomach. Passing it back to Blaise, he coughed.

"Aren't you going to ask?" He wheezed, still feeling the heat searing his throat.

"I already know." Blaise said, handing him another whiskey and something else. An envelope. An envelope with his name on it. His name written in familiar writing. Eloise's writing.

"You fucking knew?!" Draco exploded, throwing the glass of whiskey across the room and hearing it shatter against the wall. His friend was calm. Too calm.

"I found out a couple of months ago," Blaise sighed, nodding. "And before you get all high and fucking mighty with me, Draco," he snarled, getting angry on behalf of Hermione, "Look at how you're reacting to finding out that the woman you've been in love with for five years looks different to how you thought she did."

"It's more than that!" Draco roared, pacing across to the wall and throwing his fist at it, hissing at the contact.

"Oh, it's more is it?" Blaise snapped, "Tell me, what else has changed?"

"She fucking lied to me! She isn't Eloise! I love Eloise! Not fucking Granger!" Draco sneered and Blaise rolled his eyes.

"See this?" He asked, pointing at Draco. "This is why she never fucking told you. Are you really this shallow, Draco?"

"This is not about being shallow!" Draco shouted.

"What is it then? Name one thing about her that's different other than how she looks?" Blaise asked, raising a brow.

"Her bl-"

"I swear to merlin if you even think of saying her fucking blood status I will throttle you right now, Draco." Blaise snarled. "One thing. Come on, tell me."

Draco couldn't answer. He thought about it, he really did. There was nothing about Hermione that was really different to Eloise. It didn't make any sense to him, nothing made sense. It had all been a lie, hadn't it? Had it all been lies?

"Where is she, anyway?" Blaise sighed, sitting down and taking a sip of his whiskey.

"St Mungo's." Draco muttered.

"You better be fucking joking with me Draco." Blaise snarled and he threw his own glass of whiskey when Draco shook his head. Draco winced. "Please. Please, I beg of you, explain to me how this happened."

"I took her... Eloise I mean to lunch and... I proposed, but she collapsed and-"

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Blaise roared and Draco jumped away from him. He'd never seen his friend so angry. "You proposed to the girl who loves you more than anything else, who has done this, exhausted herself, alienated everybody but you, lost her best friends and driven herself round the bend FOR YOU. You proposed, she fucking collapsed out of the sheer stress of it all, and then you leave her alone, in hospital? Because you're so fucking shallow that the fact that she has brown hair instead of blonde hair is suddenly such a huge deal to you?"

Draco gaped at his friend. He had no idea what to say. Suddenly, the envelope was shoved violently against his chest and he brought his hands up to catch it as his friend moved to the door.

"I'm going to see Hermione. Read that, make your choice, but for the love of god, grow the fuck up." Blaise snarled and Draco watched as the door slammed behind his friend and he was left alone in his apartment


	21. Hermione's Letter

**Hermione's Letter**

 _My dearest Draco,_

 _If you are reading this, then the truth has emerged and you have discovered who I am and what I've done._

 _I never wanted this to happen. I never expected this to happen. You have to understand that I used these glamours, the night that you met Eloise, to serve one purpose and one purpose only. Annonymity. It was only ever supposed to be for one night, so that I could stand alone and watch the world pass me by as someone other than myself. Without people bothering me, without well wishers and without dirty old men offering me a place in their beds._

 _Then you came along._

 _I learned so much about you that night, Draco. I learned that you were nothing like I'd previously thought you to be. I found out more about you in one night than I ever did over our years at Hogwarts. I don't know why you approached me that night, but I will forever be thankful that you did. I became intrigued by this new version of you I met that night, and then you invited me for dinner and I became hooked to him. To you._

 _Honestly, I had fully intended to stop this before it got too far, but I struggled to let you go. It proved impossible. I wanted to tell you the first time you put your arms around me, but the thought that you would never do that again stopped me. I tried when you kissed me for the first time but when I thought of never feeling your lips against mine again, I felt sick. The first time you told me you loved me, I was lost to you and I was lost to Eloise, because she was my route to you. I know you could never love me, not truly, but if you could love her then I would be her, for you, for as long as I could. Because it meant I got to keep you._

 _These last five years have been the most wonderful and the most tiring five years of my life. I have looked to you through my own eyes, Hermione's eyes, only a handful of times over those years, and each time I have you have looked at me like I meant nothing to you, only to look in those same eyes, on Eloise's face, with such love and devotion only hours later. That proved to me that you could love only her and never me. And it killed me. But I kept up this ruse for so long that I couldn't let it go, I couldn't let you go._

 _I promise you, Draco, that I never did any of this to hurt you or for any nefarious reasons. My intentions were never to cause you pain or heartache. I have been selfish, I know, but I just couldn't find it in myself to let you go, or to tell you the truth. I couldn't look into your eyes, where I have seen so much love and warmth, only to find them full of hatred again. I couldn't live with the pain that would cause me, so I acted selfishly, so that I could see that love in your eyes. Love for Eloise. Love for me._

 _You asked what I was scared of, whether I was less commited to you than you were to me? The answer, of course, is no. If I thought for one second you could look at me, Hermione Granger, and ask me to move in with you? I'd be there yesterday. But to accept as Eloise and live an entire life with you, based on lies? I couldn't. You deserve better._

 _You want to know my dreams? Hermione's dreams? I dream of little curly hair blonde babies with your eyes and my nose. I dream of waking up with you when we're old and grey, knowing that we've lived a life full of love and laughter._

 _My heart is shattered knowing that could never happen._

 _I guess this is goodbye, Draco. From Eloise and, I suppose, from me. I will not contact you again, though I may wish to. I will leave you alone to move on from the mess I have created and find love with someone better for you than I could ever be._

 _Just know that I will always love you,_

 _Hermione._

Draco let the letter fall to his feet and wept. For Eloise. For himself. Most importantly, he wept for Hermione


	22. AN

**AN:**

 **Secrets and lies is essentially a prequel or really long introduction to my next story, The Process of Change, which will be posted soon on my profile.**

 **It will focus on:**

 **-The growing friendship between Hermione and Blaise**

 **-Rebuilding trust with Harry the Weasleys**

 **-Hermione learning that it's best to always be herself**

 **-Draco's choices surrounding Hermione**

 **Check it out.**

 **Thanks!**


End file.
